Star Wars: The Old Republic

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2879 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,378 out of 2879
  2. Mixed: 545 out of 2879
  3. Negative: 956 out of 2879
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Darkstlkr
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    If you go in to this expecting it to be like galaxies you will be highly disappointed. This game has more star wars feel to it than galaxies ever had I love this game.
  2. Arianolese
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Star Wars: The Old Republicâ
  3. shinjuo
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    The way people rate games now days is very upsetting. Most people are complaining that this is a wow clone and blah blah blah. Wow is the biggest MMO out there, so of course people are going to mimic it. I like wow and I like this game more. The reason I like this game more is the story elements and voice overs. It is much more engrossing to me. To complain that it is just like wow isThe way people rate games now days is very upsetting. Most people are complaining that this is a wow clone and blah blah blah. Wow is the biggest MMO out there, so of course people are going to mimic it. I like wow and I like this game more. The reason I like this game more is the story elements and voice overs. It is much more engrossing to me. To complain that it is just like wow is ridiculous. I watched many previews of this game before I got to play and I knew it was going to be like wow. If you rate this game for how well they made an MMO then it is a fantastic game. They put a lot of time into the voice overs and the stories of the characters are good. You just have to remember before you buy it that it is an MMO, so if wow was not your cup of tea then dont buy this. If you liked wow and are looking for an alternative this game is perfect… Expand
  4. Cavkov
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing! The best MMO out there, period. If you love star wars you will love this game. I've had so much fun with the story, companions, pvp, personal ship, spacebattles and so on...

    There is not much negative about this game.. I can't wait for future updates and expansion :)

    May the force be with you!
  5. Hadrijan
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Excellent game in my opinion, tops WoW hands down and i am comparing the two because i have played Blizzard's game for quite some time and liked it.
    Bioware has done an amazing job with the Star Wars IP and i think the Star Wars fans will be pleased.
  6. Virin
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I don't normally take the time to vote but lets be serious here. This extremely small number of users does not represent the hundreds of thousands playing. Odds are the ones enjoying the game are not going to take the time to come here and vote for the game unless of course they, like me, saw somebody suggesting the game was poor based upon 200 people's opinions.

    Well here's mine: This    I don't normally take the time to vote but lets be serious here. This extremely small number of users does not represent the hundreds of thousands playing. Odds are the ones enjoying the game are not going to take the time to come here and vote for the game unless of course they, like me, saw somebody suggesting the game was poor based upon 200 people's opinions.

    Well here's mine:

    This game is amazing.

    K thx.    … Expand
  7. faine3
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    SWToR is an absolutely phenomenal MMORPG and does exactly what BioWare set out to do: add the pillar of story to MMO gaming. The voice acting is fantastic (even better given the scale that it's been done on), the story is interesting and engaging, the game aesthetic is great (if you're looking for a realistic graphical style you will be disappointed, but if you're an experienced MMO-erSWToR is an absolutely phenomenal MMORPG and does exactly what BioWare set out to do: add the pillar of story to MMO gaming. The voice acting is fantastic (even better given the scale that it's been done on), the story is interesting and engaging, the game aesthetic is great (if you're looking for a realistic graphical style you will be disappointed, but if you're an experienced MMO-er you'll understand the issues that realism brings to the table), combat is significantly more fast-paced than any MMO in the past (and is incredibly fun), I could go on. It is obvious BioWare took several notes from Blizzard on this one, but I think to have ignored WoW completely would have been a fatal mistake. It's okay to admit one game did something right and to try and improve on it, which is exactly what BioWare has done with this. Although on the surface many things may seem like a WoW clone, the similarities don't tend to extend beyond them both being in the same genre (MMORPG). TLDR: I highly recommend this game for anyone who is still interested in the genre of MMORPG, as the game is absolutely fantastic on just about every level; however, if you're looking for something completely different (or if you don't like BioWare games), you should pass this up.… Expand
  8. Tridus
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    Some of these complaints are just silly. I swear people buy a game without doing any kind of research on it. They didn't promise some revolutionary new gameplay. They pretty much promised WoW, only with Star Wars and a better plot. They delivered that. If you're disappointed because you made up wild expectations and then didn't get them, that's your problem and not the fault of the game.Some of these complaints are just silly. I swear people buy a game without doing any kind of research on it. They didn't promise some revolutionary new gameplay. They pretty much promised WoW, only with Star Wars and a better plot. They delivered that. If you're disappointed because you made up wild expectations and then didn't get them, that's your problem and not the fault of the game. I'm docking some points for the UI being clumbsy, but the game itself is quite fun and the story is great (particularly compared to the disaster that is Cataclysm).… Expand
  9. sliqcore
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I haven't seen end-game yet but from what I have played I'm in love. I have plenty of experience in MMO's as a Disabled Vet I have spent the better part of everyday of the last ten years in one universe or another online. You find any revolutionary gameplay but you also don't see cheap and broken gimmicks unproven in the world of MMO's which can be fun but as with Rift and Warhammer theyI haven't seen end-game yet but from what I have played I'm in love. I have plenty of experience in MMO's as a Disabled Vet I have spent the better part of everyday of the last ten years in one universe or another online. You find any revolutionary gameplay but you also don't see cheap and broken gimmicks unproven in the world of MMO's which can be fun but as with Rift and Warhammer they tend to fall on their face before long. TOR is the first of a huge list of MMO's in which I am looking forward to not just playing every class on both factions but every mastery of every class of both factions. If you enjoy MMO's but are tired of clicking through quest details and randomly running off looking for the highlighted or bullet portions of the objective with no motivation or information what so ever about the reason for your task than TOR will wake you up. Interesting stories unfold with each character that evolve through your leveling with a Mass Effect style dialogue system and excellent narrative performed with spectacular voice acting. Within each faction you still have the option to be "bad" or "good" with dark/light side points that offer unique rewards and character options through your story. Not only is there a story but there is a Universe. Each area dominated leads you off to a new planet and you travel in your own starship with your own entourage who level with you and who's gear customization identical to your own which you can buy, craft or earn through mission rewards. They actually handle all of your crafting and gathering skills should you want to forgo the plethora of nodes you pass on your travels. There are space battles that are a ton of fun and reminiscent of Black Prophecy on rails with rewards in XP for your character and ship upgrades as your ship, like your own gear and that of your followers is just as varied. A Universe opens up right in front of you begging to be explored and each planet offers new landscapes and enemies with large base complexes and hidden artifacts that add attributes to your characters. Along the way or from a central space station all the basics are found; bank, crafting instructors, skill trainers, vendors, quest stations and PvP mission stations. There are also instanced mission areas for groups of 4 all over the place that are heavily scripted stories where everyone participates in the conversations. They are miniature movies played with friends that offer high quality rewards, what else on earth could I possibly ask for now? Nothing, for my appetite is sated at least for a few years to come. There are problems and areas that could use improvement for a jumping off point this MMO has more to offer on day one than many that have been in play for years. Think of what could come from this template which already has so much to offer and you truly begin to see what an awesome MMO we have with TOR. Naysayers beware, the future only holds more for TOR.… Expand
  10. attredies
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    SWTOR is a very fun MMO, and I truly love bioware's take on it. I am not a fanboy, I have my gripes about it, but all in all, it is extremely well polished for a launch MMO. as a beta tester for many MMOs including WoW, Warhammer, STO, LOTOR, DCUO, and more I can say that it's launch was very smooth. The game is fun and engaging, with the distinctive bioware feel. conversations let youSWTOR is a very fun MMO, and I truly love bioware's take on it. I am not a fanboy, I have my gripes about it, but all in all, it is extremely well polished for a launch MMO. as a beta tester for many MMOs including WoW, Warhammer, STO, LOTOR, DCUO, and more I can say that it's launch was very smooth. The game is fun and engaging, with the distinctive bioware feel. conversations let you customize your character to light or dark, the combat is fun, if a bit drab, but depending on your class that changes. Clothing and gear looks great, once you leave the origin worlds and your starter gear behind you begin to look the epic warrior you are. does this game have some flaws, yes. Do I think this game is worth it? definitely. I had the standard edition preordered, but after playing the beta for a couple months I upgraded to the CE and I'm very happy with it.… Expand
  11. SigneGT
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I was excited for this game and BOY was I right to be. It has the right Star Wars feel, the music, it has the Bioware voice-acting and a story that just drags you in. There is no bad review in the world i would agree with, i love it to bits!
  12. SMDRH
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I came on Metacritic today expecting that this game would have insanely positive user reviews, however was left disappointed at the amount of hate being thrown around and a shoddy 5.2 User Score. For convenience, I am going to cut right to the chase. Yes, the gameplay is very similar to World of Warcraft, but that is not a bad thing, especially for people who are new to MMOs. Here is why;I came on Metacritic today expecting that this game would have insanely positive user reviews, however was left disappointed at the amount of hate being thrown around and a shoddy 5.2 User Score. For convenience, I am going to cut right to the chase. Yes, the gameplay is very similar to World of Warcraft, but that is not a bad thing, especially for people who are new to MMOs. Here is why; it is very smooth, easy to adapt to and hits the standard that is expected of MMOs. WoW achieves this, and ToR does as well. Features are expanded on with Companion characters, and new mini-games are included (AKA, Space Battles while piloting your very own starfighter). Where the two games differ substantially is in their methods of conveying story. The Old Republic is completely and superbly voiced over, in true Mass Effect fashion. Do not let people fool you into thinking that this is an insignificant feature, because it isn't. It makes the game tenfold more interesting and engaging. Although the missions are your usual run of the mill "collect three of these" or "kill four of those", it feels like much less of a grind because you are given purpose for doing what you are doing in a way that is engaging (because of the voice acting and decision making features). Bioware have miraculously designed the game to make you feel like you are the focus of it. Your choices carry weight, you grow somewhat connected to your companions and you always feel like you are achieving something. Instead of finding myself completing missions in order to level up (as I have done with every single other MMO to date), I am completing them to see what happens next, as the writing is of a quality you would expect in Mass Effect or Knights Of The Old Republic and always manages to keep you curious. This game is superb in every aspect. Don't let yourself be put off by all of these unjustified negative review scores. This game is definitely not anything less than an 8 out of 10, and in my opinion it hits top scores. Star Wars fans, Bioware fans and MMO fans alike all have plenty of reason to love this game, and very little to hate it.… Expand
  13. LedBetter11
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    ToR is a really polished, deep, well made game that I think is not only a fantastic MMO but is a fantastic SP RPG as well. The story is so engaging and is as well written and voiced as Bioware's single player offerings. Give it a try if you enjoy MMO's or just RPG's you will really enjoy this game!
  14. Blackferne
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Star Wars the Old Republic brings a polish and refinement we expect from a Star Wars product. I've been playing from day one of early access and the game has been living up to my expectations. I find myself caring about quest objectives unlike in other games. I find the class stories to be interesting and well written. Most of the minor wants I have (like guild banks) are things theyStar Wars the Old Republic brings a polish and refinement we expect from a Star Wars product. I've been playing from day one of early access and the game has been living up to my expectations. I find myself caring about quest objectives unlike in other games. I find the class stories to be interesting and well written. Most of the minor wants I have (like guild banks) are things they promise to address down the road. It is an ambitious game, and for me it has been well worth the money spent. I look forward to seeing it evolve. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants a fun star wars game.… Expand
  15. gorillionaire
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Don't worry too much about the bad reviews. This game has been out officially for 13 hours. Most of the negative reviews here consist of the typical QQ associated with first impressions of new AAA mmos. You'll never get an MMO that's exactly what you want it to be, so don't cry when Bioware doesn't meet your every specification. I've been playing this game since mid-summer beta and it'sDon't worry too much about the bad reviews. This game has been out officially for 13 hours. Most of the negative reviews here consist of the typical QQ associated with first impressions of new AAA mmos. You'll never get an MMO that's exactly what you want it to be, so don't cry when Bioware doesn't meet your every specification. I've been playing this game since mid-summer beta and it's gotten better with every build. The final product is highly polished and offers more than any other MMO on the market.… Expand
  16. Triplesec84
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware delivered what they promised to deliver: a bioware-style mmo in the star wars universe. The environments are gorgeous, the stories are fantastic. Group content is fun, companions are useful, and crew skills are far and above the best new feature. This game has forever changed the landscape of MMO design.
  17. lastcigarette
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    In SWTOR Bioware brings something back to the Star Wars universe that has been lacking since KOTOR and Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. Story. And unlike another MMO that promises Legendary Items, SWTOR actually has weapons and armor that can stay with you throughout the game.
  18. chainzor
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    This game is getting a LOT of heat for being a dull WoW-clone. Fair enough, they copied a lot of what -works- in WoW. In my humble opinion, a lot of the criticism completely misses it's own point - this game IS, in fact, innovating. I don't think they 'wasted a lot of money on voice acting', I think it's money well spend. When i first got into the game, I was very chilled, my expectationsThis game is getting a LOT of heat for being a dull WoW-clone. Fair enough, they copied a lot of what -works- in WoW. In my humble opinion, a lot of the criticism completely misses it's own point - this game IS, in fact, innovating. I don't think they 'wasted a lot of money on voice acting', I think it's money well spend. When i first got into the game, I was very chilled, my expectations were super-high, and met by an according cinematic - that thing rocked. I was taken to the character-creation - no Eve Online creator, still, more customization than World of Warcraft ever offered. The first 10 levels were amazing, when I moved from the tutorial-planet I felt like I did after playing the first part of Age og Conan - difference was the good stories and awesome voice-acting didn't stop here, the whole thing didn't just turn in to 'go out and do whatever, kill some boars if you like or something'.. Nope, I find even the side-quests interesting, and grinding very optional. Then there's the combat system. Well.. They didn't exactly re-redefine.. well anything. BUT, people tend to look back at the games that did, and forget why they're not playing them. The locked-target ability system does offer some things, it's clearly not very confusing (although targeting could have been sneakier), and it makes it more important how you prioritize your skills, then how well you make a headshot, make wierd combos, or whatever innovative fantastic combat system that for some reason isn't popular enough to beat this classic in popularity. The 2 points from 10 comes from a couple of things - the gear, for once. Ouch. I got my sweet jedi-robe at lvl 14-15 and then it just kinda went down from there. PvP-gear was much harder to get, but made me look like a silly homemade halloween-costume aiming for a mix of Superman and Julius Caesar. Very weird, and not very cool. Another thing that disappointed me was spaceships. I'd hoped for an implementation where you could be a group manning a spaceship, and it'd matter, and you could buy new ones and such, but in reality the 'locked on route'-type spaceship missions made me wanna get it over with and get back on land. However, overall I'm having a splendid time, and I really think it's worth the while. Maybe even worth the queue-times.… Expand
  19. Skrilla
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    you people are he flat silly. I can't believe the critics..and now i can't believe the users so it's really become just buy it or rent it and try it for myself. everytime a new mmo comes out it's omg a wow clone!! And you people really think WOW pioneered this model? Seriously give me a break!!! You think mmos are somehow going to revolutionize and change everything? I highly doubtyou people are he flat silly. I can't believe the critics..and now i can't believe the users so it's really become just buy it or rent it and try it for myself. everytime a new mmo comes out it's omg a wow clone!! And you people really think WOW pioneered this model? Seriously give me a break!!! You think mmos are somehow going to revolutionize and change everything? I highly doubt it considering todays forms of input so until the tech increases and gets cheaper the model of how our input is taken and translated in game is NOT going to change!!! Also, i played wow from the start and I don't remember it having allll this end game content everyone is fussing about until some expansions came out...and i remember it's graphics were sub par too..but it was fun and it put you in a fantasy world you wanted to be in. That is exactly what swtor does if you are a star wars fan.....and i have yet to see the grind because i'm always doing something new in this game. Tell me this since you wow fanboys are soooo smart. What kinda quests would you have people do in your mmo? LOL!! probably about the same b/c the reality of it is there's only so many varied quest types you can come up with and that coupled with the fact that you must serve up thousands of them for millions of players to enjoy so that things are varied enough they are not fully monotonous is a daunting task in itself. At least a lot of these quests in swtor lend to the story line and the atmosphere which is more than i can say for WOW. MMOs are like wine...they get better with age. The fact that you all are ripping it tells me 1 of 3 things. A: your a hardcore fanboy of WOW and no mmo that comes out within the next 10 years is going to satisfy that itch for something different
    OR
    B: you don't understand anything about human/computer interaction and the possiblities ther are with certain limitations on computing power across the board
    OR
    C: you wouldn't know a good, fun, atmospheric, well built, non launch crashing, engaging game if it punched you in the face (and i've played em all and i must say that this has been the best handled release, and most thought out well developed mmo to ever come out to date taking it for what it is now at release date notwithstanding future expansions)

    That's my 2 cents on the topic since all i read nowadays is nitpicky garbage on these user review sites.    … Expand
  20. Moikko
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This one is really nice game. I've had break from MMO's for over 6 months and this one really hits the spot! Thank you for making such a nice atmosphere BioWare! Haven't tried PvP yet, but i aint much of a PvP'er so that is not a problem.
  21. jayishere
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Awesome game, everyone giving it low scores is absolutely trolling. It has everything I look for in an MMO, and more. It is actually original and has an amazing story behind it.
  22. Hobnobb
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    An excellent MMO with so many different aspects included. The story and voice-over are just two fantastic things about this game - crafting, space combat, PvP, morale system, and flash points; everything is a blast.
  23. alceste007
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    A solid themepark MMO with that special Bioware storytelling added in. ToR is a ton of fun. ToR also offers some of the most rewarding MMO questing to date. Each class receives complex class-specific story lines. Most quests reward moral choices with light-side/dark-side points. This is very nice additional element to an MMO.
  24. Dianoia
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    MMO's are a tough thing to review. Many appear solid and polished, engrossing and exciting, only to fall apart later on. Some start off overly complex and counterintuitive, and then become engrossing, with a level of depth and replayability you can't find in any other genre. That being said, be wary of ANY review you read of ANY MMO out the gate: oftentimes, you're really only reading aMMO's are a tough thing to review. Many appear solid and polished, engrossing and exciting, only to fall apart later on. Some start off overly complex and counterintuitive, and then become engrossing, with a level of depth and replayability you can't find in any other genre. That being said, be wary of ANY review you read of ANY MMO out the gate: oftentimes, you're really only reading a brief initial impression of what the whole game has to offer.

    That being said, my initial impression of star Wars: The Old Republic is extremely positive. This is not an entirely new formulq, and it shows. BioWare studied their competition extremely carefully, mimicing many of the best things titles have offered in the genre. The game play, abilities, and user interface are all very reminiscent of any other major MMO release in the past seven years. The formula is the same, too: start off as a lowly no one and, through questing, group play, and pvp, become a hero in great gear and maybe even someone famous on your server.

    Where this game separates itself is in the story and the execution. For better or worse, BioWare chose to make the game less of a grand exploration of an overarching world, and more of a "theme park". At first, it's a little hard to appreciate the decision, as the feeling of traversing an epic world is lost in favor of zipping around every sight in the galaxy. However, the decision's strengths begin to shine when you realize that BioWare took a universe too big to fully explore, and fully realized the best moments, locales, and tales you could expect from Star Wars. Flying from one point in the zone Nar Shaadaa to the other, you get the feeling of a very tiny person in a very big galaxy. No other game I've played has created such a sense of scale from so little, and it's 100% faithful to the feel of the films.

    If you love story telling, especially the BioWare flavor, it's definitely here. The feat BioWare pulled off in turning text-driven "go kill x of this" into a living, breathing tale of moral decisions is breathtaking. Sure, not every quest is as engrossing, and some story lines get going (and stay going) faster than others, but there are cringe-worthy, jaw-dropping, and tear jerking moments to be had. No other MMO has pulled it off this well, and it goes a long way to getting you hooked fast. It alne is reason enough to jump into BioWare's world.

    There are definite missteps here. The UI is clunky and lacking customization. Class balance is a bit bonkers early on. The looking for group feature is circa 2007. Character customization, though better than competitor's games, doesn't live up to BioWare's other staples. Que times are out the wazoo. But none of these are game breaking, and in an age where MMO's just get better over time, these are surely on BioWare's radar for future patch improvements.

    So, should you buy this game? If you love MMO's, Star Wars, or BioWare's storytellng, you'll probably fall in love with this game. If you're a FPS fan, expect 7 years of polish and features out the door, are looking for cutting-edge DX11 graphics, or don't get into a game's story, I'd pass.    … Expand
  25. JiDW
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    They made a KOTOR (best game ever), but multiplayers. It's all I ever dreamed. I've played a lot of MMOs and it's the first time that I'm interested in the story of quests. I truly don't care if the gameplay is like in WoW, I've played MMOs before WoW and it was already the same. Did players complained about WoW gameplay ? At first I was afraid about graphics when I saw screenshots, butThey made a KOTOR (best game ever), but multiplayers. It's all I ever dreamed. I've played a lot of MMOs and it's the first time that I'm interested in the story of quests. I truly don't care if the gameplay is like in WoW, I've played MMOs before WoW and it was already the same. Did players complained about WoW gameplay ? At first I was afraid about graphics when I saw screenshots, but in fact the game is beautiful, I really love its style. Excellent work Bioware, thanks for all !… Expand
  26. ReDDoTNeckbeard
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    The people that are giving this game negative reviews are most likely not playing the game or expected TOR to be SWG2.0 or extremely brand new. TOR, since day 1, was announced to be building on the already proven MMO formula that seems to be rooted in the direction of EQ/WoW. Its not WoW "in-space", but its a well-made MMO with a GREAT story. If you enjoyed KOTOR, ME/ME2/DA/DA2 - you willThe people that are giving this game negative reviews are most likely not playing the game or expected TOR to be SWG2.0 or extremely brand new. TOR, since day 1, was announced to be building on the already proven MMO formula that seems to be rooted in the direction of EQ/WoW. Its not WoW "in-space", but its a well-made MMO with a GREAT story. If you enjoyed KOTOR, ME/ME2/DA/DA2 - you will love TOR as it allows you to have all what those single player games offered and adds multiplayer aspect to it. I personally love the PvP, love the flashpoints, love the classes. By no means this game is ideal, but out of the MMO launches that I've been in - this is the best MMO at launch and the BEST launch experience I've ever had (and i've played most MMOs in the past 7 years). I recommend this game if you like BioWare games and if you like MMO games. Otherwise wait for trial version!… Expand
  27. taz08078
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Perhaps this game is not the most revolutionary, but it is fun. I am not a hardcore player, but I have played a number of MMO's before. This game is different in that the voiceovers for quests do immerse you in the game, but it may not be for everyone. The core mechanics are designed to simple and easy for non-mmo players to pick-up. If you've never played an MMO before or have neverPerhaps this game is not the most revolutionary, but it is fun. I am not a hardcore player, but I have played a number of MMO's before. This game is different in that the voiceovers for quests do immerse you in the game, but it may not be for everyone. The core mechanics are designed to simple and easy for non-mmo players to pick-up. If you've never played an MMO before or have never felt a "part" of the game...check out The Old Republic...casual players that appreciate a story will have fun.… Expand
  28. valentre
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I think this game is brilliant. It has some bugs and some fixes are needed, but overall, it is polished and will get even better with time. The problem with a free critic site is that ActBlizz can pay people to come post here. A lot of the reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. Go try the game yourself - it's worth the story and journey it conveys!

    People clamor for innovation,    I think this game is brilliant. It has some bugs and some fixes are needed, but overall, it is polished and will get even better with time. The problem with a free critic site is that ActBlizz can pay people to come post here. A lot of the reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. Go try the game yourself - it's worth the story and journey it conveys!

    People clamor for innovation, as they expected Bioware to re-invent the wheel. They never once said that is what they were trying for. A lot of people had unrealistic expectations. If you want to have a fun game where Star Wars thrives, this is the game for you.    … Expand
  29. OneTimeReview
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Great game. There are some very innovative features, such as crafting and multiplayer dialogues, built on top of the proven success of a themepark design. BioWare is masterful in their storytelling and cinematic delivery of content. There's room for improvement, but in their first MMO attempt I think BioWare has done very well. I'm having a lot of fun!
  30. Ishiwadede
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Incredibly surprised by all of the negative reviews. I find the game has recaptured my interest and personal involvement in a way that no MMO has been able to do since WoW - if that indicates something negative to you about my taste, so be it. The popularity of World of Warcraft shows myself to be in the majority, and just as I'm getting tired of that game this one comes out. AnyoneIncredibly surprised by all of the negative reviews. I find the game has recaptured my interest and personal involvement in a way that no MMO has been able to do since WoW - if that indicates something negative to you about my taste, so be it. The popularity of World of Warcraft shows myself to be in the majority, and just as I'm getting tired of that game this one comes out. Anyone expecting game-changing innovation was misleading themselves from the very beginning - no company that has invested as much as Bioware and EA have on Star Wars are going to cater to the fringe. They made a mainstream, easily accessible MMO with enough fresh aspects to make it still somewhat new and different, and I'm having one hell of a fun time.… Expand
  31. RyanW1019
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I love it. Cinematic experience, innovative crafting system, awesome visuals, and heroic-feeling combat. There's a lot of room for expansions, but that's why we pay the subscriptions. Would recommend to anyone who liked KOTOR, WoW, and/or Star Wars.
  32. Olliepop
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware do not disappoint. WoW fanboys are just taking a break from bashing Blizzard and are bashing the greatest current threat to their beloved universe. I am a former WoW fanboy, converted by SWTOR. This game is amazing. First, to combat previous critics: Zones are in 2 instances, you can jump between them freely. The purpose of these is to prevent 400 people in one zone stealing yourBioware do not disappoint. WoW fanboys are just taking a break from bashing Blizzard and are bashing the greatest current threat to their beloved universe. I am a former WoW fanboy, converted by SWTOR. This game is amazing. First, to combat previous critics: Zones are in 2 instances, you can jump between them freely. The purpose of these is to prevent 400 people in one zone stealing your mobs: instead there are 200. Cities etc are not instanced. Server queues are only present because it's launch like ANY OTHER mmo. Infact, unlike WoW launch or other games these servers are not lagging or crashing. Top job Bioware.

    Combat is insanely fun in this game. In WoW combat was the same every time, in SWTOR it's dynamic and varies. Mobs have different levels of difficulty, identifiable by the colour graphic around their portrait and 'Strong', 'Elite', 'Champion' texts. The vast majority of items can be traded before bound, and items can be modified to update stats to retain the look of your gear if you so choose.

    Great game, check it out yourself.    … Expand
  33. Erebus890
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This game is pretty much exactly what I wanted from an MMO. Most MMO's try to either be too similar, or very different from WoW, this one on the other hand is a very nice balance.
  34. topshelf
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    SWTOR is an engaging, story-driven adventure unlike anything we've seen in the MMO genre to-date.

    This is a game that truly grips you from the earliest beginnings. If you've read anything about SWTOR it's that this is a game about story - and it is. This is quality writing and while perhaps not a **** tale, it brings enough surprises to keep even the most avid gamer engrossed. DON'T SKIP    SWTOR is an engaging, story-driven adventure unlike anything we've seen in the MMO genre to-date.

    This is a game that truly grips you from the earliest beginnings. If you've read anything about SWTOR it's that this is a game about story - and it is. This is quality writing and while perhaps not a **** tale, it brings enough surprises to keep even the most avid gamer engrossed. DON'T SKIP THE CUT-SCENES
    So many games in this genre are about "getting through the game to get to the game". Meaning 70-80 levels of utter boredom in order to reach the penultimate level where one can finally participate in raid-content. In SWTOR you get to enjoy, even savor the ride.

    Playing earlier this week - I honestly experienced a tinge of regret when I hit my 23d level. The regret was because, like a good movie almost at an end, the ride seemed to be going too fast. I've never experienced that feeling in an MMO before, but I did with SWTOR.

    NOT ALL BUBBLE-GUM AND ROSE-PETALS
    If you play Empire, be prepared to feel more than a little dirty for following your character's destiny in true RP fashion. There's a grit to this story line on the empire-side that just rings true. Be prepared to to see the consequences of your actions, even when wearing a white-hat and acting the hero, some choices leave you with regrets.

    GIVE THIS GAME A GO
    Don't trust a review rating this game a 1-2-3. It's easy to see what's going on here in terms of game-rivalry. This game can and should be improved - but this game isn't built on almost a decade of development. Given the success this game has already seen (an estimated 1.5 million players in EGA) - and the commitment of EA to develop this game for the longterm, expect SWTOR to continue to improve. They have a great basis to build on here - as much as any game we've ever seen in the MMO market.

    Pick this one up - you'll love it.    … Expand
  35. Rivan
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Excellent game all around. This is the first MMO I've actually been engrossed by! Each class (of which there is eight) has 200 hours of story quests attached to it, and the quests themselves are engaging and objective-based. You won't spend hours killing random NPCs to level, you level through character-developing quests where you make the decisions on how to proceed. The combat is slickExcellent game all around. This is the first MMO I've actually been engrossed by! Each class (of which there is eight) has 200 hours of story quests attached to it, and the quests themselves are engaging and objective-based. You won't spend hours killing random NPCs to level, you level through character-developing quests where you make the decisions on how to proceed. The combat is slick and well-paced; you need to use strategy to succeed. Combat is not too slow, but not too fast that you get destroyed in a minute. The environments are lush, well-built and HUGE. One planet (Coruscant) is so big that I could spend all day there and still not have everything explored. Other planets are similarly large.

    In terms of bugs, I haven't run into any. This is surprising for such a new MMO.

    I'm also a big PvP fan, and the PvP matches are objective-based which is amazing. Instead of just mindlessly killing everyone, you have to work together as a team to complete objectives. So as far as I'm concerned, this game succeeds on all counts.    … Expand
  36. iminay
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Trolling aside, this is the NEXT BIG MMO, and is a good game. Ignore all the negative reviews who are scared their MMO of choice is going to be a wasteland in the next few months due to people jumping on the SWTOR bandwagon
  37. re2leons
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Really enjoyable game.
    I wasn't really interested into swtor till last minute, and after days of playing it, I loved it. The music is fantastic, I love the voice acting. The only thing I don't like that much is huttball.I see alot of buttmad **** trying to make this game look bad.
  38. nick_of_time
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    This game has been divisive since way before release. Anyone following the community knows that there's a lot of hate out there for this game. Whether it's people who still can't get over DA2, players who expected a sandbox, or people with overconfidence in their budgetary analysis skills, plenty have come out against this game.

    Bot more importantly, a lot of players really love this game    This game has been divisive since way before release. Anyone following the community knows that there's a lot of hate out there for this game. Whether it's people who still can't get over DA2, players who expected a sandbox, or people with overconfidence in their budgetary analysis skills, plenty have come out against this game.

    Bot more importantly, a lot of players really love this game and rightfully so. As themepark MMOs go, it's really one of the best, better in quality and content than recent contender Rift. I once played WoW pretty heavily, but lost interest in the world and was no longer invested in my characters. I'm happy to say that TOR has rekindled that desire in its own way with its liberal dose of voice acting and a real care given to the world. It's hard to sum up the game as a whole. It's really one of those things that you have to try out to see if you like it. First off, I love sci-fi. That right there is a leg up on the competition. I also love how they handled companions in an MMO setting and I LOVE that I actually have a reason to group again. Haters will try to convince you that this is a "single-player game," but nothing could be further from the truth. The best times are the heroic group quests and there are PLENTY of these scattered about. In comparison, modern WoW (and Rift) feel like solitary confinement. It goes to show you that all you need to encourage grouping is a challenge that asks for it. Yes, you can solo, but you'll miss out on great experience, loot and more importantly, fun times with other players.

    Yes there are faults.Even though conversations are way more engaging than boring boxes of text, they aren't as artfully crafted as in Dragon Age or Mass Effect (and even those weren't the best in the biz). Conversation options can feel somewhat limiting at times. The UI, while perfectly serviceable, has few customization options. There are still bugs to work out (but thankfully none that are game-breaking for me yet). You may find faults with the game design that I don't. I know some things I like, others hate. To each their own.

    But if you're looking for a solid themepark MMO that's actually worth paying monthly for (not just a cash grab with free-2-play written all over it), then you can't go wrong here. The community seems pretty good so far, there's plenty to do in game and it offers a setting and genre that themeparks have been ignoring for the most part. I'm having a blast and you might too. You just have to decide for yourself.    … Expand
  39. Ama
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I can't believe the vitriol out there. Reviews of 0? I just can't believe that people can rate this 0, but I guess haters will always be haters.

    My experience has been stellar. The entry to the game is stable, I've never been disconnected nor has the game ever crashed for me. The gameplay itself is fun (shooting lightning from fingertips is just fantastic) and the Story is    I can't believe the vitriol out there. Reviews of 0? I just can't believe that people can rate this 0, but I guess haters will always be haters.

    My experience has been stellar. The entry to the game is stable, I've never been disconnected nor has the game ever crashed for me. The gameplay itself is fun (shooting lightning from fingertips is just fantastic) and the Story is unbelievable. An avid MMO'er myself, I have found myself slowing down to listen to all the story. It is an incredibly immersive and moving experience which I found to be really, really fun. I recommend everybody to try it out, if you have ever enjoyed a star wars movie, this is one to get.    … Expand
  40. Nexusepona
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Now what do we have here? In my oppinion, which is subjective of course, this is a good game with a few minor flaws. Gameplay is not a great suprise, I would describe it like what WoW should have been. It is similar in many ways, yet made it better, less frustrating, less boring, less grinding. Also has nice voice acting quests, you can have your own ship (and that is free, you just haveNow what do we have here? In my oppinion, which is subjective of course, this is a good game with a few minor flaws. Gameplay is not a great suprise, I would describe it like what WoW should have been. It is similar in many ways, yet made it better, less frustrating, less boring, less grinding. Also has nice voice acting quests, you can have your own ship (and that is free, you just have to reach that point in the story), the game has limited (but still fun) space combat, things like that. I would recommend it to any of my friends.… Expand
  41. Valsung
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This game is unexpectedly fantastic. Coming in as someone who is not a very large fan of the Star Wars universe (not that there's anything wrong with it) I am impressed. The graphics are quite fluid, a far cry from trailers in the alphas and betas that had me worried. The voice acting is superb, and the storyline while linear, is engrossing. I know I'll be playing more than one characterThis game is unexpectedly fantastic. Coming in as someone who is not a very large fan of the Star Wars universe (not that there's anything wrong with it) I am impressed. The graphics are quite fluid, a far cry from trailers in the alphas and betas that had me worried. The voice acting is superb, and the storyline while linear, is engrossing. I know I'll be playing more than one character just for this reason, which is more than I can say for any other mmo.

    There are some flaws however, the lack of a Target of Target, UI customization features, and support for mouse-over macros are unfortunate, but I expect them to be added in the future.

    SWTOR is easily the smoothest and most polished "WoW clone" (using that ironically to describe what all new MMO's are labelled as) of the last 5 years. For once, it feels like there is promise and I have renewed hope in Bioware. Here's to the next few months of polish and patches for an overall great game.    … Expand
  42. Talus
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The game is not revolutionary, but never claimed to be. The previous posters do not seem to understand the nature of themepark MMOs. Version 1.0 is not going to be the perfect game, but Bioware has done an amazing job of polishing the game second only to Blizzard. If you enjoyed WoW, you will enjoy SWTOR. The look and feel is fresh, and if you allow yourself, you will become engrossed inThe game is not revolutionary, but never claimed to be. The previous posters do not seem to understand the nature of themepark MMOs. Version 1.0 is not going to be the perfect game, but Bioware has done an amazing job of polishing the game second only to Blizzard. If you enjoyed WoW, you will enjoy SWTOR. The look and feel is fresh, and if you allow yourself, you will become engrossed in the story like you have never been able to experience in an MMO before. During the beta, I actually found myself becoming attached to my characters, even to the point of recreating my beta character EXACTLY for the release of the game. There will be major changes to come based on community feedback and the direction Bioware feels is appropriate for the game, this is how MMOs work by their very nature. I hope anyone seeing this review that is even remotely interested will give it a try.… Expand
  43. DeathRow
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    It's alright, would have been better as a single player game. The story is good and interesting, the characters age good and interesting, but the difficulty seems to either be stupidly hard or ridiculously easy.
  44. OMGLASERPEW
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    I think the dark/light side choices don't make sense - Light side Sith and Dark Side Republic Jedi? It just doesn't make sense. Furthermore, while they encourage you to make choices you end up constained because certain gear can only be used with enough light side or dark side points so you're constantly making choices you don't even want to make. Other than this gripe, the game isI think the dark/light side choices don't make sense - Light side Sith and Dark Side Republic Jedi? It just doesn't make sense. Furthermore, while they encourage you to make choices you end up constained because certain gear can only be used with enough light side or dark side points so you're constantly making choices you don't even want to make. Other than this gripe, the game is pretty well executed. It's crafting system is really strong and will be loved by many. A lot of people seem to be hating on it are probably people who are sticking to WOW and are sad to see people leave. If you look at these reviews they will have a 0 and say it's an ok game. Pretty strange. It's worth the 60$ especially if you like story lines. It really is story driven; I actually want to make alts just to experience their story.… Expand
  45. darth_karnus
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    As can be seen from the spectrum of scores for this game, it's one of those things you either love or hate. Personally, I fall into the first category and believe this to be the embodiment of everything that I could have ever wished for from a Star Wars MMO. Yes, comparisons can be made to WoW...as well as many other MMOs...but the same goes for almost any new MMORPG on the market. JustAs can be seen from the spectrum of scores for this game, it's one of those things you either love or hate. Personally, I fall into the first category and believe this to be the embodiment of everything that I could have ever wished for from a Star Wars MMO. Yes, comparisons can be made to WoW...as well as many other MMOs...but the same goes for almost any new MMORPG on the market. Just because the game reminds of you another one, doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad, in fact it can mean the complete opposite, as with SWTOR, which takes elements from other games and upon combining them surpasses them. As is said, the student has now become the master. The fact that the game is fully voiced greatly adds to its appeal and makes it much more playable and enjoyable. The companion system is perfect and the character progression is well paced. Even during the common 'kill this' or 'fetch this' quests, the game remains interesting as one is always given multiple options during dialogue sequences. All in all, SWTOR is my favorite RPG to date and does so many things right that all of its minor flaws can be overlooked. I know which game I'll be playing several years from now.… Expand
  46. Malefactor
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Easily the best Themepark MMO on the market today, all the familiar trappings gamers have come to expect from the themepark model, plus a new take on questing and the biggest addition to the genre to date: STORY. Highly polished gameplay with the trademark BioWare cinematic storytelling is a match made in heaven. Excellent game would (and have) recommend to everyone who likes MMO'sEasily the best Themepark MMO on the market today, all the familiar trappings gamers have come to expect from the themepark model, plus a new take on questing and the biggest addition to the genre to date: STORY. Highly polished gameplay with the trademark BioWare cinematic storytelling is a match made in heaven. Excellent game would (and have) recommend to everyone who likes MMO's (themepark), Star Wars, and BioWare.… Expand
  47. tkearnsjr
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. First off, this is NOT a mostly single player game. Can you level up solo? Yes, if you don't want social points. There is a lot to the game that you can not do solo however, such as a lot of Heroic 2+ quests, Heroic 4+ quests, flashpoints (dungeons), and raids. People coming on here calling it a single player lobby game are ridiculous orI'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. First off, this is NOT a mostly single player game. Can you level up solo? Yes, if you don't want social points. There is a lot to the game that you can not do solo however, such as a lot of Heroic 2+ quests, Heroic 4+ quests, flashpoints (dungeons), and raids. People coming on here calling it a single player lobby game are ridiculous or are trolling. Phases (instances) are that way to prevent people having to sit around forever fighting over a named mob. Since the days of UO and Dark Age of Camelot, I think this is finally an MMO that I think I will be able to stick with for over a year. The story is phenomenal, and I find myself listening to every cut scene and basically forgetting that I am actually leveling. The combat is fun, I think at the moment I use roughly 8 skills in the course of a fight, so it's definitely not all spamming one button. The flashpoints I have done (4 now I think) have slowly gotten harder with more mechanics added in and I find that I don't mind doing them multiple times in a row for drops, experience, social points and alignment. I have yet to PvP so I really don't have any comment on that. The only minor disappointment for me is the space combat compared to a game centralized on space, I then realized that this game is not centralized around space fighting and now I think of space combat and quests more as like a mini game side thing to do, which makes it a little fun.… Expand
  48. Whyudie
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware makes great games. There is no denying that. The attention to story and immersion is unparalleled in this industry. I was hooked since Neverwinter Nights. Now with an MMO they have raised the bar. Voice Dialogue not just for the main quest but every little itty bitty one as well. Now they were bought out by EA games and this being the most expensive video game ever produced, thereBioware makes great games. There is no denying that. The attention to story and immersion is unparalleled in this industry. I was hooked since Neverwinter Nights. Now with an MMO they have raised the bar. Voice Dialogue not just for the main quest but every little itty bitty one as well. Now they were bought out by EA games and this being the most expensive video game ever produced, there were obvious corners that were cut. Lack of character customization chief among them. Obviously in order to push for a launch before the end of the year, there are no wookies or complicated playable races in the game.

    During the beta, one of my favorite features was wearing a hood over a mask. This was taken out amongst other features due to bugs which apprently couldn't be fixed for launch. Here's to hoping they get put back in soon. An important attribute in a MMO is player vs player and this is limited to where you can find the other faction, which literally feels like small corners on each planet. The Warzones (Equivalent of battlegrounds in similar MMO's) number under 5 as of launch and is ok but definitely lacking more content and a real fun factor. Overall, the game is great one. Some of the best games immerse you in them, much like a good movie does. The story line for most classes drives the game and holds it up amongst any negatives. In the original Kotor, Jeremy Soule's music immersed you into a world you could not even imagine. His haunting rhythm on the same level as the excellent story. I was sad to see him not a part of this. It's also sad that the music it does have, does not play enough throughout the game. I am giving it a 10 because it has the potential to be a 10 once some of the many features removed for the launch are ultimately restored.    … Expand
  49. dSharpy
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Ok for starters Swtor has alot flaws. Bad UI, a little laggy, and it gets pretty confusing at times. However these ARE NOT gamebreaking flaws, these can be fixed with a patch or a addon. It does share many similarities with World of Warcraft but thats not a bad thing. The combat is really fun, , the flashpoints are a blast and the graphics look great on Low. I have no complaints other thanOk for starters Swtor has alot flaws. Bad UI, a little laggy, and it gets pretty confusing at times. However these ARE NOT gamebreaking flaws, these can be fixed with a patch or a addon. It does share many similarities with World of Warcraft but thats not a bad thing. The combat is really fun, , the flashpoints are a blast and the graphics look great on Low. I have no complaints other than the UI. Don't listen to all these butt hurt people expecting the world of a game, the combat is fun, the story is immersive, and its a blast to play. Im gonna stop here because im fixxing to go play some Tor. Peace out and may the force be with you.… Expand
  50. pay4lawschool
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Don't get all the hating. I've played LOTRO to level cap...and played WOW to about level 26 but got bored. This is as good of an MMO as any made way way better by the SW content. If you're bored to tears of MMO's this won't rejuvinate that because it's an MMO...it's not MMO 2.0 or anything. But as MMO's go it's a GREAT one and that's at launch. It can only get better. I'm captivated.Don't get all the hating. I've played LOTRO to level cap...and played WOW to about level 26 but got bored. This is as good of an MMO as any made way way better by the SW content. If you're bored to tears of MMO's this won't rejuvinate that because it's an MMO...it's not MMO 2.0 or anything. But as MMO's go it's a GREAT one and that's at launch. It can only get better. I'm captivated. Even the side stories are compelling, crafting options are great...all in all, a win. I dont know how PvP is because I don't particularly care for that anyway but the PvE experience is amazing.… Expand
  51. SwitBiskit
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    If you are trying to decide whether to buy the game from these reviews, I feel sorry for you. There is so much misinformation on this site with people 'reviewing' games they've never played. I played WoW for 5 years, Aion for 6 months. If you are a fan of the genre you will love SWTOR, plain and simple. It is well worth the initial purchase just to play the storylines (I recommend imperialIf you are trying to decide whether to buy the game from these reviews, I feel sorry for you. There is so much misinformation on this site with people 'reviewing' games they've never played. I played WoW for 5 years, Aion for 6 months. If you are a fan of the genre you will love SWTOR, plain and simple. It is well worth the initial purchase just to play the storylines (I recommend imperial agent).

    From my experiences up to level 30 on two characters, I'm giving this game a solid 9. It'd be 9.5 if it were possible on metacritic.    … Expand
  52. kdiddy
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    I don't get the hate. The game is a blast, graphics are really good for an MMO. It's a great BioWare game and on top of that it's a great BioWare game you can play with your friends. What could be better?
  53. xosso
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This is, without a doubt, the most fun I have had playing a video game in quite a long time. The few bugs i have encountered are going to be easily fixable.
  54. Jagtus
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The title is surprisingly good. It has a weird hybrid between single player RPG and MMO but it is not a bad thing. Recommend trying, but it's not my money so use at your own risk.
  55. experienceddog
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is a world of warcraft clone. the graphics are bad and dumb as poop. I sometimes wonder why there are no many fanboy for this game. It is just an cheaper alternative to WoW, and that game is dumb also. I wanted action game, I got boring mess. Writing is on par with a harlequin romance novel. sorry for poor english not frist language. Hope helpful!! :)
  56. Snipestrifer
    Sep 13, 2012
    8
    Top complaints: 1. OMG SERVER QUEUES ARE SO LONG! Lol every MMO launch has these and by MMO standards TOR's launch has been incredibly smooth. 2. OMG LAG. Again, every MMO launch has this and it will go away soon after launch, new servers have already been confirmed to be added very soon. Also, it could be your Internet, and if it is, you may need a better service provider. 3. OMG NOTop complaints: 1. OMG SERVER QUEUES ARE SO LONG! Lol every MMO launch has these and by MMO standards TOR's launch has been incredibly smooth. 2. OMG LAG. Again, every MMO launch has this and it will go away soon after launch, new servers have already been confirmed to be added very soon. Also, it could be your Internet, and if it is, you may need a better service provider. 3. OMG NO INNOVATION. Ok, complain about every single FPS then. Complain about the consistency of the Elder Scrolls series and the Mass Effect series, as well as Pokemon (Among many more, especially Nintendo titles). Didn't think so. Bioware EXPLICITLY said that they weren't redesigning the combat, something people over-centralize on, and what they did say was that they were adding a fourth pillar (Story) and making exploration more rewarding, something that this game succeeds at very well, with meaningful decisions within the quests. That and there are very long questlines, which personally for me, is awesome. Holocrons located within tricky to reach areas (No doubt the wiki will have the guide to reach them all already down by now though) makes exploration more rewarding, as well as receiving a generous amount of EXP for every newly discovered location. 4. OMG BAD GRAPHICS. Really? Firstly graphics are one of the least important aspects of a game and treating them with more importance than the basic mechanics instantly makes you a moron. This is a game, not a movie. Secondly, the graphics were DELIBERATELY downgraded so the game could run on slower computers, so Bioware is actually doing you a FAVOR by making the graphics wors, to a degree, it would've been nice had we been given more graphic options to the game though. The style will age better than more realistic graphics however. Examples of this include WoW and Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker which still looks awesome despite being around a decade old now (At the time of this review). Besides, the animations are far better than any I've seen in an MMO (That was needed for story character animations and Bioware's "Cinematic" combat, which they talked about a lot). 5. This isn't how a Star Wars MMO should be (Something along those lines anyway). Star wars Galaxies fanboys sad about how their game is being shut down around the release of this one. This isn't another SWG, and if you thought it was you didn't listen to Bioware. It's not their fault that they decided to go in a different design direction than you. Doesn't make the game bad, it would only be bad if their design was sloppy, which it isn't. In conclusion everyone who complains about these "Issues" are stupid or didn't listen to Bioware. You can't judge an MMO at launch (I got early access and played it for around two weeks straight now at the time of this review) because there is so much in it that you can't judge it within a couple of hours and launches are particularly stressful periods for MMOs. WoW's servers literally died at their launch. Now that I;ve finished ranting and gushing over this game, let's get a little more objective and calm. The combat and skill trees are nothing new, and even though BW did let us know this in advance to be honest I did epect SOME level of innovation. The combat has style, but the same substance that WoW had, and I honestly expected some differences that I failed to find. Crafting, is... Bad. Just leave it there. Otherwise i will rage my sad little heart out. At the end of the day however there is only one flaw that matters: The lack of endgame content. I have nothing to do at the end of the game other than couple of dungeons and PvP! The meat of te game is in the story so they seem to have forgotten the endgame content, leaving me bored and frustrated after the story ended. Perhaps they should have given us some endgame story missions or something, because there's not much to do after the grind is over. My advice: Pick this up, do the class stories, then cancel your subscription. Because the stories are amazing, but there's not enough endgame content to justify sticking around after that.… Expand
  57. mikal768
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    A very good MMORPG in my opinion. Storyline's are excellent and bring a nice change.
    Character creation options are sometimes lacking, and it seems that leveling might be a tad fast for my experience, keeping this from a perfect score, but beyond that very good indeed.
  58. Ruscour
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I have to wonder, have all the people who gave this game negative reviews actually played the damn thing? Anyways.

    I'm going to talk at length about this game and why people are idiots for considering it bad. This game is not, and never claimed to be, a revolutionary MMO. It is hotkey based, it is quest based, it is dungeon based, like pretty much every MMO ever. Like RIFT, and World    I have to wonder, have all the people who gave this game negative reviews actually played the damn thing? Anyways.

    I'm going to talk at length about this game and why people are idiots for considering it bad.

    This game is not, and never claimed to be, a revolutionary MMO. It is hotkey based, it is quest based, it is dungeon based, like pretty much every MMO ever. Like RIFT, and World of Warcraft before it, and EverQuest before it, it follows the same formula. Different setting, of course, but I'm seeing a lot of people who are just like "hurr durr WoW copy"...do you know what the word "genre" means? That's how genres work. People say the same about WoW and EverQuest...WoW did not invent this genre, it is simply the most successful game within it.

    This game did not innovate as much as RIFT did, either. The only thing that separates TOR from the rest of the pack in any significant way (aside from the Star Wars IP, of course) is the voice acted story. And it is marvelous. As a lover of end-game, the dungeons and PvP and such, leveling is always the biggest, most boring pain-in-the-ass ever. I played RIFT and I loved it but I couldn't keep going because the grind to max level was just brutal. It's the same in WoW, I could never level another character because of the sheer boredom, the gameplay isn't fun.

    SWTOR fixes that, in my opinion. Sure, what you're doing is as bland as in every MMO, but there is real story there. It's incredibly immersive and you care about why you have to kill 10 rats (for the typical example).

    Everything else is just incredibly solid. The PvP is great, the group stuff is awesome (and there's story there as well), the combat is surprisingly diverse and there is actual thought process involved in combat in questing unlike most MMOs. Stun that guy, CC that guy, DoT that guy, knockback that guy, instead of mash damage abilities -> collect loot. The companion system is great in this regard as well.

    All in all, SWTOR is another MMO that hasn't really innovated, but take it for what it is; an extremely solid game with enough innovation to stand on its own. It has fixed the biggest problem in MMORPGs in my opinion, and I can see myself playing this game for years to come (until Guild Wars 2 at least). People seem to be expecting something completely different to what people perceive to be the "WoW formula", but why fix what ain't broke?    … Expand
  59. BeezNeez
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I hope no one decides weather or not to buy this game on these user reviews the Game is great i admit i have been a follower of the games development for years and to me the game was everything i hoped for. For the people claiming all you do is grind i'd like to disagree as grinding in this game is completely optional, all grinding missions ar side quest that you don't need to do if youI hope no one decides weather or not to buy this game on these user reviews the Game is great i admit i have been a follower of the games development for years and to me the game was everything i hoped for. For the people claiming all you do is grind i'd like to disagree as grinding in this game is completely optional, all grinding missions ar side quest that you don't need to do if you don't want to that main quest line the class story does not contain grinding missions Bioware made sure of this. And for the people claiming it's like wow and it's nothing new i don't understand why you are complaining so far every oher mmo trying to be different has failed and wow has reigned supreme i agree it feels like wow but this isn't bad because it's made the things people love from wow and put it in but made it better if you love wow you will love this game because it has all the good things plus more for you people angry about this you must just want to hang on to wow because this game is going to murder it because it is a new and improved version. Conclusion i found myself immersed in every aspect i care about the quest i'm doing and i see myself and alot of other people playing this game for years to come just wait for the official reviews 10/10 peeps… Expand
  60. HodGod
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    These gloopy lewdies keep govereeting about how this game has starry mechanics and a baddiwad raskazz. Well they are some real lying grahzny brachnies. I'm just here to say that the game is real horrorshow and good like. Don't listen to these shoots and try it for yerself.
  61. Stargate476
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Please do not listen to most of these 0-4 raters because most of them never actually played the game, they simply are wow fanbois who come here to hate on a new MMO, before rating this or hating on this try it out, Not going to lie and say its the best of all time but certainly holds my interest a hell of alot more then wow did, and leveling is actually FUN no walls of text. Sure there arePlease do not listen to most of these 0-4 raters because most of them never actually played the game, they simply are wow fanbois who come here to hate on a new MMO, before rating this or hating on this try it out, Not going to lie and say its the best of all time but certainly holds my interest a hell of alot more then wow did, and leveling is actually FUN no walls of text. Sure there are bugs and features we would like to see fixed/added but what mmo doesn't especially at launch. Overall a great game and you should definitely give it a shot.… Expand
  62. Eceliion
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Great game. It's fun - not to mention so refreshing than dealing with swords, shields, and QQing Deathknights 10/44 year olds. I love all the WoW players who are hating on this game because half their friends left for it. Time to grow up, folks!
  63. Demikly
    May 19, 2012
    10
    As my first earnest go in the MMO genre (2 weeks of Guild Wars and 2 days of WoW played prior) - I can honestly say this has brought me whole hearted-ly into the MMO space with love. I have been playing now since the Australasian launch (March) and have subbed for another 6 months on the basis that this is some of the best gaming I've experienced.... ever.

    I've played both Republic and    As my first earnest go in the MMO genre (2 weeks of Guild Wars and 2 days of WoW played prior) - I can honestly say this has brought me whole hearted-ly into the MMO space with love. I have been playing now since the Australasian launch (March) and have subbed for another 6 months on the basis that this is some of the best gaming I've experienced.... ever.

    I've played both Republic and Imperial sides - 3 characters to 50, and several alts levelled to 20 or so.. and I can honestly say it's some of the best storytelling in the business. I've come from an RPG background (Baldur's Gate / PST / Arcanum style), and this has been a learning experience for me - the richness and deep skill involved with PvP/Tactics and gear selection have all surprised me.. It is some hearty stuff, and if you're a Star Wars fan, you will be in HEAVEN (as I am).

    Go out and get this game if you:

    1) Love Star Wars / 2) Love RPGs with great story / 3) Love competitive online PvP

    10/10 - so good!!    … Expand
  64. Ardonas
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I was an avid WoW player for years, but I would leave WoW for this game even if I hadn't already cancelled my subscription. The storylines are better than some single player games I've picked up, and the group mechanics work well. the lack of a standard lfg system outside of trade chat is a tad annoying, but it only encourages the player to get out into the world and meet people within theI was an avid WoW player for years, but I would leave WoW for this game even if I hadn't already cancelled my subscription. The storylines are better than some single player games I've picked up, and the group mechanics work well. the lack of a standard lfg system outside of trade chat is a tad annoying, but it only encourages the player to get out into the world and meet people within the game. I've played the classes on both sides, and they really are unique, though parallels can definitely be drawn (agent-smuggler, trooper-bounty hunter, sith-jedi) they're diminished by the stellar storylines for each class and the highly customizable AC's. Play this game. It's fun, trust me.… Expand
  65. Beltsu
    Dec 26, 2011
    9
    I honnesty don't know what other users expected, giving so low scores to this game. They use such arguments, that to me, they lose all credibility. Personally, I'm enjoying SWTOR very much. Yes, it has "kill x" quests, even those are optional objectives. Yes, it is not that diferent from WoW's gameplay. Yes, the classes are imbalanced. And yes, it's missing some stuff that we took forI honnesty don't know what other users expected, giving so low scores to this game. They use such arguments, that to me, they lose all credibility. Personally, I'm enjoying SWTOR very much. Yes, it has "kill x" quests, even those are optional objectives. Yes, it is not that diferent from WoW's gameplay. Yes, the classes are imbalanced. And yes, it's missing some stuff that we took for granted (like the dungeon finder). But guys, we're talking about an MMO. Tell me one MMO that had all the stuff that you wanted on launch day? I'm killing x number of guys, because I want to kill x number of guys. It's an MMO, a genre which I enjoyed since the first day I started playing WoW. I don't know what all the critics were looking for, really, but to me, they just seem to be trolling a good game, which is having some deserved sucess. What do you want, guys? Let's all just love low cost indie games that no one is going to play for months? Now, the game. Like I told you, yes, it has all those MMOs "must have". But so far, having played the beta and the game, I find it very stable (contrary to some reviews who find it very buggy, of some ppl who must have only played the beta, imo). Besides the graphical glitches, I never had a single dc, and was only stuck once. The combat gameplay is mostly WoW's, with a Star Wars skin. I like it, like millions of players seem to throughout the world. You have the "tank/healer/dps" trinity, but you're not so limited in terms of classes to play if you want to fulfill one of those roles. Not going to talk much about the classes, except that once you reach lvl 10, you chose one "advanced class", that being the one you're "stuck" to for the rest of the game (for instance, if you pick a Jedi Knight, once you reach lvl 10, you must be a Jedi Guardian or a Jedi Sentinel). Each of those advanced classes have 3 talent trees to pick from, like vanilla WoW. Since I consider most of the factions classes to mirror each other's gameplay (like Smugler=Sith Agent, for instance), I do consider the game to have 8 classes/gameplay types to play (the 2 advanced from the 4 original classes). The voice acting IS amazing. One of the best I've seen in years. The quests and flashpoints sometimes have some unpredictable outcome. For instance (not a spoiler), I was really amazed when a "good guy" wanted to sacrifice some of his team to get on with the quest, despite having another way to go. This game really makes you make some choices, and unlike a rpg, you can't "load back" if you regret your decision. There is really a sense of binding to your character, imo. I gave the game a 9 so far. Because of the potencial I see in it, and the fun I'm having so far. The game does deserve to be apreciated for what it is, not to be trolled just because it's a million dollar game that doesn't change the world. It's an MMO. A revolution on that genre. And, having been playing WoW for over 6 years now, I'm loving SWTOR, and I recomend it to any gamer who's not "picky", and with an open mind. If you loved KOTOR, &/or Mass Effect &/or WoW, you're gonna love it.… Expand
  66. demosthenes
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I would like to address the frequent complaints I have read that "SWTOR is unambitious in its gameplay." Firstly, to blame a game for adopting an existing archetype is patently absurd. Infact I can think of no (major) game that is largely derivative of legacy titles. WoW borrowed from Everquest, which borrowed from Ultima and so-on. The fact that combat in SWTOR is similar to WoW is onlyI would like to address the frequent complaints I have read that "SWTOR is unambitious in its gameplay." Firstly, to blame a game for adopting an existing archetype is patently absurd. Infact I can think of no (major) game that is largely derivative of legacy titles. WoW borrowed from Everquest, which borrowed from Ultima and so-on. The fact that combat in SWTOR is similar to WoW is only symptomatic of the genre itself, not necessarily of any intellectual laziness on the part of Bioware. Conversely I would argue that SWTOR is perhaps one of the MOST ambitious MMOs to date. Integrating single player continuity with MMO social structure has never been done before, and SWTOR accomplishes it beautifully. Let alone fully voice acting the entire 1000+ hours of content is completely unheard of for an MMO! After coming off of my first day of SWTOR I feel vindicated with my decision to purchase it so early. Not only is the storyline engrossing, but the combat, UI, and metagame were better than any game I've seen to date. Those of you who dislike the conventions of MMORPGs should not be surprised when you encounter the same archetypes of play in SWTOR. If you do not enjoy leveling, min-maxing, or instancing than I would not recommend SWTOR to you. As with any MMO there is a degree of grind, but I believe Bioware has done its utmost to eliminate the drugery of grind with engaging storylines. Ultimately SWTOR is a spiritual successor to the philosophies of bioware's first Star Wars IP: KOTOR, but placed within the conventions of a modern MMORPG. A fantastic purchase, I have no doubt I will be playing this game for many months to come.… Expand
  67. schnetf
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Bioware did an amazing job creating TOR. The story drags you into the world (based on the experience of trooper and agent) and you just have to go on to know how the the world evolves. Being a huge fan of Mass Effect I think the implementation of the dialogue system very good. Spoken dialogues throughout the whole game! And the thing that amazes me most is the absence of any boring monsterBioware did an amazing job creating TOR. The story drags you into the world (based on the experience of trooper and agent) and you just have to go on to know how the the world evolves. Being a huge fan of Mass Effect I think the implementation of the dialogue system very good. Spoken dialogues throughout the whole game! And the thing that amazes me most is the absence of any boring monster grinding. Apart from some weaknesses in the character creation progress this game is absolutely top.… Expand
  68. ARTHURIUSS
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is a terrific game.I can't believe some of the negative reviews and scores being handed out here.How is this game a 0 or 1 or a 2!? Hell,even handing out a score of 6 is a great disservice to a game as fine as this.
    Sure, it plays a lot like WOW but it's a hell lot more immersive than WOW ever was and the stories are so well told that you can't wait to see what happens next.The voice    This is a terrific game.I can't believe some of the negative reviews and scores being handed out here.How is this game a 0 or 1 or a 2!? Hell,even handing out a score of 6 is a great disservice to a game as fine as this.
    Sure, it plays a lot like WOW but it's a hell lot more immersive than WOW ever was and the stories are so well told that you can't wait to see what happens next.The voice acting is phenomenal and adds to whole immersion factor and is so much fun playing this with friends.Definitely a must buy game IMO.

    I'd rate this a 9 but looking at the troll scores that are being handed out I think a perfect score is fully justified.    … Expand
  69. Nexecus
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Sadly alot of these comments people are posting are people that are having either bad experience with Customer support and are raging their anger off here... Real constructive critique is not really their strong points but alot of them are oldtime WoW players that have a blind eye.

    So since the majority of these guys cannot do a proper score review and just select the 0 or 1-3 because    Sadly alot of these comments people are posting are people that are having either bad experience with Customer support and are raging their anger off here... Real constructive critique is not really their strong points but alot of them are oldtime WoW players that have a blind eye.

    So since the majority of these guys cannot do a proper score review and just select the 0 or 1-3 because they are to lazy to objectively review the game. guys you all need something else to do go away from metacritic your useless :)

    To the game:

    The game has a sound story line for all classes making questing and leveling a complete diffrent experience while still offering the same old objectives (kill x amount of that on place y) . Customization, crafting and many other areas need work or players just have not explored deep enough into these yet to have a sound conclusion.

    So far the games release has been stable (dont think the whiners are the majority) with a few hiccups but nothing major. Because of this ill give the game a 10 just to give weight against all the retards voting rediculous low just cause they are WoW Fanbois.    … Expand
  70. fooskin
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The voice acting is the best I've heard in any game... ever, actually. Maybe I don't play that many games!

    I picked up copies for myself and a friend, we're having a blast. Cinematics are good enough to impress my wife, so I think it earns a 10 on that alone. Anything that'll avoid the wifes' wrath gets a 10 in my book.
  71. jst68
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    This is clearly the new benchmark MMO replacing WoW. Basically, they picked up everything that is great in WoW, gave it their signature Bioware design and now we get to enjoy a nearly perfect MMO. The launch worked great as well. They did their homework and it is probably the most stable, freshly released MMO I ever played. The game itself gives us beautiful graphics, excellent sound (itThis is clearly the new benchmark MMO replacing WoW. Basically, they picked up everything that is great in WoW, gave it their signature Bioware design and now we get to enjoy a nearly perfect MMO. The launch worked great as well. They did their homework and it is probably the most stable, freshly released MMO I ever played. The game itself gives us beautiful graphics, excellent sound (it is soooo cool hearing all the different races talk in their native language and it really helps you getting into the game), nice missions and smooth game play without grief points other MMOs have. When I am looking at some of the low rating I am wondering if these people even played or if they are just WoW fan-boys who can't get over the fact that their game might no longer be number one.… Expand
  72. pardo82
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is coming from someone who played the mass effect series and loved it. I bought this game after hearing all the hype about the voice acting because I thought that it would bring a good story to an MMO, but in all reality this is still a **** mmo game where it would be better to just skip the story and go through the grind of getting to the highest level and getting the best armor.
  73. Koumori
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I went into SW:TOR expecting a space-themed WoW, and logged off feeling like I'd exited a new world. A wonderful surprise of immersion and Bioware doing what it does best. I was not expecting to subscribe, but it's hooked me in - well done to the creators for a competitive MMO.
  74. Armin
    May 29, 2014
    9
    There is an enormous amount of content in this game and gameplay is always fun. They did a really well job. There are negative views about this game as the E3 trailer was spectacular and people believed that this game would be something beyond the current generation of games.
  75. MoistYam
    Jul 29, 2014
    8
    On one of many online game searches to satisfy my impulse craves of temporary adventure and enjoyment, I kept on stumbling upon Star Wars: The Old Republic on many of my "Top Free MMORPG's". At first I was hesitant because I've always played fantasy based mmorpgs and, although I enjoy the Star Wars franchise, the image of a Star Wars MMORPG didn't play well in my mind primarily based on myOn one of many online game searches to satisfy my impulse craves of temporary adventure and enjoyment, I kept on stumbling upon Star Wars: The Old Republic on many of my "Top Free MMORPG's". At first I was hesitant because I've always played fantasy based mmorpgs and, although I enjoy the Star Wars franchise, the image of a Star Wars MMORPG didn't play well in my mind primarily based on my past familiarity with other MMORPG's. I couldn't of been more wrong.
    Keeping in mind that I haven't played Knights of the old republic, both one and two, the story driven game type was rather new to me. As opposed to a lot of MMORPG's, in which the "story" is told through small, boring text which is often skipped for sake of gameplay, Star Wars: The Old Republic kept me involved and excited to pursue the story, which is astonishingly good for a "free" MMORPG. Not only is the story told to you through voices, which is awesome considering the fact that most "stories" in other MMORPG's tend to be skipped for either their quality or just plain apathy rooting from the player, the game keeps you involved by giving you a variety of answers, replies, decisions, and statements that can either make you looks like a complete bully, to a joking and friendly "sith". Occasionally, you will come across a decision that will, for example, give you the option to kill someone or let them live. Choosing the side of killing them will make you more "sith-like" and grant you "dark" points, letting them live will do the opposite and grant you "light" points. These points affect you in-game ranging from appearance changes to the loot available to you. Remember, I haven't played many story driven games so I just had to get all this excitement out.

    Now, for everything else.

    The combat is pretty generic with it's tab-right click to attack system and the graphics are nothing to write home about. Additionally, some may be turned off by the fact that free players get so much less than subscription and paying players. Some of benefits, aside from different race, mount, and cosmetic options, was that paying players got the ability to move faster during the long (yet enjoyable) tutorial, which is a really small thing, of course, but it annoyed me none the less.

    Overall, I'd say if you're craving for a new mmorpg and a new experience then try this game out, definitely. Even if the combat system is nothing special, the immense voice acting and story telling is.    … Expand
  76. dudeYeah0012
    Sep 18, 2014
    8
    I think some ranting and raving about performance issues aside, this was a really fun ride. We had a group of 4, played to level cap, then didn't have much we were interested in doing, but it was free, and worth 30 hours of good times.
  77. paleale
    Jun 8, 2015
    8
    I played SWTOR the first day it released and kept playing for about a year after launch. The reason I stopped, it got boring quickly, lag issues and so many severs that they felt empty. The story is excellent, gameplay is ok, graphics are fine. It's been a few weeks now, and I resubbed, the game is way different since launch, game mechanics have changed, servers have merged some bugs andI played SWTOR the first day it released and kept playing for about a year after launch. The reason I stopped, it got boring quickly, lag issues and so many severs that they felt empty. The story is excellent, gameplay is ok, graphics are fine. It's been a few weeks now, and I resubbed, the game is way different since launch, game mechanics have changed, servers have merged some bugs and lag issues seem to be resolved. I find that this game has way to much negative reviews, and I should say more like bashing and hate towards EA. For those who left in the beginnning I would tell you that going back is worth it, espacialy if you been planning to, I tried the F2P option first and it's way to limited espacialy if you were a playing sub before. So to all STAR WARS fans out there thinking about playing this game it is worth it, great story, good gameplay, ok graphics, good community ! I do recommend that you check on the forums or sites to see which servers are the most populated before creating a character ! Have fun !… Expand
  78. Skitte
    Jul 7, 2014
    9
    I heard about this game several years ago, but I didn't try it since 2014. I was a bit disappointed by the fact that the game is a huge mass of gigabytes, around 25, but I cannot blame BioWare. It took me around a day to have the entirely one. And, the gameplay is nice, polished let's say, but the basic combat is a bit poor. At least the skills contribute to the gameplay. I like the plot,I heard about this game several years ago, but I didn't try it since 2014. I was a bit disappointed by the fact that the game is a huge mass of gigabytes, around 25, but I cannot blame BioWare. It took me around a day to have the entirely one. And, the gameplay is nice, polished let's say, but the basic combat is a bit poor. At least the skills contribute to the gameplay. I like the plot, very much and the companions; this is great all in all. I played until level 17, because the game caused me lots of crashes on computer and I saw this is an internal problem that, I hope they will fix it within the new EP, Galactic Strongholds. The world is polished, very nice and I like there is a lot of content and worlds to go to. Well, the items are expressive and I like they have style. I don't know what to say more, but I bet; even this is the first MMO of BioWare/EA, they did a great job and I disagree the negative impresses of other players. I know there are several imperfections, but I am sure there is no another one like this. Congrats BioWare, I am waiting for the new update!… Expand
  79. celebi734
    Sep 22, 2014
    9
    An excellent MMO-RPG experience with tons of things to see and do. Star Wars: The Old Republic is the best MMO-RPG I have ever played It has everything a good Star Wars game and MMO-RPG should have.
    Great level design, simple yet fun combat, a great story, nice colorful graphics, solid sound design, and excellent voice acting. Simply the best MMO-RPG out there don't listen to anyone who    An excellent MMO-RPG experience with tons of things to see and do. Star Wars: The Old Republic is the best MMO-RPG I have ever played It has everything a good Star Wars game and MMO-RPG should have.
    Great level design, simple yet fun combat, a great story, nice colorful graphics, solid sound design, and excellent voice acting. Simply the best MMO-RPG out there don't listen to anyone who says this game is bad.    … Expand
  80. SamDurk
    Feb 6, 2014
    9
    This game somehow passed me by and only just got into it. There's a huge amount to do and progression so far feels natural, no feeling of grinding away at all. The newly added space battles are also great.

    This is a great MMO and a worthy follow-up to KOTOR 1 & 2
  81. game_over
    Feb 23, 2014
    9
    Bottom line(at the top): This is a solid and polished MMO with a good amount of content.

    PROS: Fully voiced npc's and quests. The volume and quality of content is high Great atmosphere High population/good support/decent lfg Instanced PvP including space ship battles Very little grinding/fast leveling if you subscribe You can play the game like a single player game    Bottom line(at the top): This is a solid and polished MMO with a good amount of content.

    PROS:

    Fully voiced npc's and quests.

    The volume and quality of content is high

    Great atmosphere

    High population/good support/decent lfg

    Instanced PvP including space ship battles

    Very little grinding/fast leveling if you subscribe

    You can play the game like a single player game if you want. This is KOTOR 3.

    6 distinct storylines

    Highly replayable as a different character class/alignment/faction

    CONS:
    In your face if you don't spend money

    Slower leveling if you don't sub

    If you don't like Star Wars, the setting will appeal less to you.

    If you don't like MMOs, this is still an MMO

    Non-cutting edge graphics(the game still looks pretty darn good)

    You start playing another MMO and wonder why you aren't playing SWTOR.    … Expand
  82. Orhunkk
    Sep 27, 2014
    9
    While SWTOR doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of quest mechanics,combat and even trading system , it is good at story telling and rpg factor.Zones are great pvp is great espicially some pvp mods are awesome.If you like star wars universe you probably already played the game if you not go and try it now!
  83. funnyhawk95
    Feb 27, 2014
    9
    I have only ever had a great time playing this game which is set in my favorite era, the dialog was great to have because i could define my own character and i wouldn't have to be an evil Sith, i could be a good Sith or neutral.
    Favorite story for me was both the Jedi Knight and Sith inquisitor. The Jedi Knights story was so good because it was a large scale threat you were dealing with    I have only ever had a great time playing this game which is set in my favorite era, the dialog was great to have because i could define my own character and i wouldn't have to be an evil Sith, i could be a good Sith or neutral.
    Favorite story for me was both the Jedi Knight and Sith inquisitor. The Jedi Knights story was so good because it was a large scale threat you were dealing with which made every step more intense plus the companions for the Jedi Knight are so good, like Kira and Doc (tied 1st on my favorite companions list) because they were so well scripted. The Sith Inquisitors story i found was bad from level 1-15 because it was you just running small tasks, but at the end when yo met the ghost and he beat the hell out of you (not as bad as you think) it then starts to get interesting, but after chapter 1 when you start to bind with ghosts it to interesting not to play.
    The only bad things i found in the game where some of the stories, like the bounty hunters, the dialog isn't that bad but the story all together just seemed a bit rushed (and in my option the Bounty hunter and smuggler should of had a faction of there own due to the fact that they are a neutral party) the only other story that i find the most boring is the Jedi Consular, it's so boring (i'm doing a fallen Jedi Consular and i'm dragging myself along because it feels that bland)

    Revan is the god of Star wars    … Expand
  84. 599mrichardson
    Apr 7, 2014
    9
    Overall its fairly obvious that this is a good MMO game. Yes, there are some minor tweaks needed, but overall I would give this an 9. If you are not a star wars type this still may be a good game for you.
  85. amritsian
    Jan 13, 2018
    9
    Alright I have saying some bad stuff of it last review, but this one is an update.

    First of if you like star wars or just like sci fi stuff and role playing games, well this game is for you, but before you start, if youre a f2p player like me you will get 3 basic races, (this is just optional) but what i did i spend some bucks on currency aprox 1000 so i could get my favorite species    Alright I have saying some bad stuff of it last review, but this one is an update.

    First of if you like star wars or just like sci fi stuff and role playing games, well this game is for you, but before you start, if youre a f2p player like me you will get 3 basic races, (this is just optional) but what i did i spend some bucks on currency aprox 1000 so i could get my favorite species Mirialan &
    Togruta(which do exists). Since i didnt wanna play basic human race thats just boring.

    The combat is quite easy to learn, for starters i highly recommend you choose jedi since you can heal yourself.

    I got to say that the some restrictions are unnecessary like why cant you say something in the forums without paying, and why are races restricted to f2p players compare to star trek online where you can choose so many races plus 3 payed ones(which is optional if you wanna get them)

    But for the most part, the game is quite addictive.

    (unnecessary) Even though im not the biggest star wars fan, I like it, but I hate when fanboys has to say stuff or just been critical annoying or else this franchise is in pretty trouble. But thats my opinion.    … Expand
  86. coolman08
    Mar 11, 2014
    9
    its a lot better than it used to be it has a lot more content there's more flashpoints and operations plus the story is grand . i recamend playing it now
  87. Fletchski
    Mar 28, 2013
    8
    Star Wars The Old Republic is a free to play MMORPG developed by Bioware. Since its release at the end of 2011, the game has won many awards, including best MMO and best PC exclusive in 2011. The game is set during the times of the old republic which is over three thousand years before the rise of Darth Vader in the classic Star Wars films. In game you will have to choose whether you areStar Wars The Old Republic is a free to play MMORPG developed by Bioware. Since its release at the end of 2011, the game has won many awards, including best MMO and best PC exclusive in 2011. The game is set during the times of the old republic which is over three thousand years before the rise of Darth Vader in the classic Star Wars films. In game you will have to choose whether you are part of the galactic republic or the dark side of the evil empire. You will also have to choose your character class which determines the set of skills and abilities you will be able to have in game, such as being able to wield a light sabre or use a series of blasters and other long range weapons.

    The game is suitable for most players due to its lack of bloody violence and foul language, however to the fact that the game is online and that you must be 13+ to register, it is recommended that this game is for teens and above.

    Star wars The Old Republic has many built in features that make the game one of the best MMO’s available. The story telling is incredible down to the decision making within game, as every choice you make can alter the way the rest of the game will pan out for you and how others may react to you within game and will also determine your path of either light or the dark side. The game also has a stunning range of cinematic for both action scenes and conversations between players and A.I. The other cool function about any movie clip is your whole online party appear in the clip with your character and interact with the A.I in the same clips as you do, meaning that the whole game can be played together, between you and your friends.

    Not only are you able to share your adventure with real friends, but you can also have an A.I companion which will accompany throughout your game. Your companions can also be customised to your preference, such as appearance and behaviour when facing enemies.

    The combat system in SWTOR is a dynamic and detailed masterpiece, where every battle almost seems like a fight from the movies, as well as being on such a large scale. You are also granted your own personal star ship to fly in game, so there will also be intense space battles where you are made to attack or defend in your very own vehicle.

    The game is also a full MMO, featuring massive multiplayer environments, player-vs.-player Warzones, multi-player Flashpoints, multi-group Operations, guilds, auction houses, crafting, mounts, and much more.

    There is one downside to the game however, which is even though the game is free to unlock features such as operations and warzones, you must pay a £10 monthly subscription fee, however, if you enjoy the game that much then it is definitely worth becoming a member. I myself am a member and the jump from non-paid to paid offers so much more for the game, but it will only really be worth the £10 if you play the game enough. I rate Star Wars the Old Republic a solid 8/10, due to its amazing multiplayer functionality and compelling story line. The only thing that lets it down is the fact it is £10 a month if you want to play the game to its fullest potential, which is a lot for game, as that would be £120 pound a year just for extra features.    … Expand
  88. thanaton
    May 13, 2014
    10
    I am only reviewing this from the subscription experience, I do not recommend this MMO as a free to play game but it's an excellent subscription MMORPG. I've been a subscriber for almost 3 months and I love it and I'm still playing it on a regular basis, there is so much depth to Star Wars: The Old Republic, what completely sold me on this game is the quests and story and I'm a really bigI am only reviewing this from the subscription experience, I do not recommend this MMO as a free to play game but it's an excellent subscription MMORPG. I've been a subscriber for almost 3 months and I love it and I'm still playing it on a regular basis, there is so much depth to Star Wars: The Old Republic, what completely sold me on this game is the quests and story and I'm a really big Star Wars fan, so your choices affect whats going to happen next you can be good or bad but each choice may very likely come with consequences and affect the players story. The music is wonderful and stays true to Star Wars, the graphics are a little bit cartoonish but Bioware has said so it doesn't look dated in 4 years and I'd say it's aged really well so far. The choices for PVP has grown lately Bioware is constantly updating SWTOR with more PVP, story, and expansions.

    I've been playing MMORPGs for 14 years and I've never playing anything like SWTOR that really got me into the game and addicted and not often enough can a game do that, SWTOR is simply fun I actually have fun and a good time while playing this, it doesn't feel grindy and I always can't wait to get to the next quest, I mostly like SWTOR because of the role playing. So don't judge this game by the free to play experience if your willing to shell out some cash for the subscription it's worth it, subscribers get more experience and that alone is worth it.

    I highly recommend Star Wars: The Old Republic.    … Expand
  89. Ikarian123
    Aug 15, 2018
    9
    Perfect MMORPG... great story with fantastic enrichment of Star Wars lore. I am very grateful that it have strong side of "solo" online game, regular updates and perfect content. Did not found any big problem, only some parts were bit frustrating, but nothing else. Only MMORPG I was willing to continue in subscription.
  90. Scythx
    Jan 12, 2019
    10
    Luckily I have had the perfect circumstances for playing such a game through. I bought this game when it first came out and didn't have the computer power to run it, so I sat through level 30 and couldn't do it anymore. Fast forward until a month ago and I absolutely love and am hooked with this game. Definitely one of the best games I've ever played for different reasons. Somehow thisLuckily I have had the perfect circumstances for playing such a game through. I bought this game when it first came out and didn't have the computer power to run it, so I sat through level 30 and couldn't do it anymore. Fast forward until a month ago and I absolutely love and am hooked with this game. Definitely one of the best games I've ever played for different reasons. Somehow this made Star Wars shine in a light that you can just imagine being real and it inspires imagination in you in how much you want to be in THAT world. They are definitely onto something with the player makes the decisions for light and dark side and they don't hold back on the punches for either side. This game makes it seem like Star Wars is actually possible in some galaxy or universe and hopefully at some point this one. The story telling is delicious and for the time that this game came out, the best they could have done in syncing it with actual gameplay. I see the potential in this game and for the creators to take the perfect things of the game and will use it in the future for ever greater feeling for being apart of the world. Very fun to play stoned lol. Sure there are things I don't like about this game, for one the amount of grinding/ traveling back and forth for quests. But the reason this is so I suppose is to make the dialogue that much more enthralling somehow. I Hope that these guys continue making more of these Star Wars games because I never want it to end. I want to always have that power of actually turning and becoming a sith. I think once a game like this hits VR its gameover for everyone because thats the catalyst for the best game ever imaging that the graphics are life like… Expand
  91. Nala
    Dec 13, 2012
    10
    Star Wars the Old Republic, is the first MMORPG in a long time to hold my attention for more than a few months. The game's story is engrossing and fun. Yes, it takes many of its mechanics from World of Warcraft, but it's a worth game in its own right. The game gets a bad rap for not meeting every player's dreams for the game, but it is only a game. It can't fulfill every person'sStar Wars the Old Republic, is the first MMORPG in a long time to hold my attention for more than a few months. The game's story is engrossing and fun. Yes, it takes many of its mechanics from World of Warcraft, but it's a worth game in its own right. The game gets a bad rap for not meeting every player's dreams for the game, but it is only a game. It can't fulfill every person's needs. It's a good game and I recommend anyone try it, especially now that it is Free to play.… Expand
  92. MrBlazenGlazen
    Dec 29, 2011
    8
    I am pretty satisfied with what I'm seeing so far. Gameplay is pretty good. The quests are story driven (which I really like). Being in parties are fun. The areas you explore are humongous. I only have one character who is a sith assassin, and I'm having fun with that route. Though it does tend to get repetitive at times but that doesn't really bother me that much. If you liked KOTOR andI am pretty satisfied with what I'm seeing so far. Gameplay is pretty good. The quests are story driven (which I really like). Being in parties are fun. The areas you explore are humongous. I only have one character who is a sith assassin, and I'm having fun with that route. Though it does tend to get repetitive at times but that doesn't really bother me that much. If you liked KOTOR and pretty much anything bioware has released in the last 5 years than you will most likely enjoy this game. With that all said, I have a suggestion for anyone who is entirely dependent on critic and user reviews. Don't be. Unfortunately there are company's who have bought reviews, and it is blatantly obvious that there are a lot of trolling user reviewers who give ridiculous scores on both ends of the spectrum, especially on metacritic. I was tracking the score for The Old Republic for the first 10 minutes on metacritic because I was curious, and what I saw was a pretty large influx of negative reviews. 10 minutes, all they could have done is literally watch the beginning cinematic and done maybe only one quest. It's highly possible that most of the negative reviewers haven't even played the game, and they are just hating on bioware out of spite because of some stupid vendetta they hold against the company. You know now that I've said that, I even saw one review on this game admittedly saying that he is giving the game a 0 because he is "protesting the company". Don't buy into this crap guys. In fact, you will see this for literally every game that is listed on metacritic. You will even see people giving the original Star Wars: Knights of the old republic incredibly low ratings just because they hate bioware. You will see people giving 0s to games like Skyrim because they don't like Bethesda. Hell, I bet when Mass Effect 3 comes out there will be at least 10 negative reviews in the first 30 minutes since its been released. Now, on the other end of the spectrum you will see people throwing in a bunch of tens as well. You shouldn't always trust these scores as well. Look at Modern Warfare 3, there are people giving that game a 10 when it's basically a copy pasta of Modern Warfare 2. Now I'm not saying that every bad review is a fake, there are people who do have valid complaints about the game. One of them is that the game can be repetitive, and that's fine. Not every high scored review is a fake either, the certain game could have been simply amazing. Though I am saying that you should not base your purchases entirely off of metacritic scores. Go around the internet and do a little bit more research instead. What's even better is to ask people you know. Those are my two cents, and I hope it helps whoever is reading this make good decisions about what to purchase in the future. Not that I'm saying that The Old Republic is a bad purchase but you know what I mean.… Expand
  93. ThaWiz77
    Jan 6, 2012
    8
    As far as MMOs go, at least the launch went smoothly. The first thing you will realize with this game is that they have copied a lot of what works in terms of gameplay mechanics from others MMOs like World of Warcraft. There's no denying that the similarities are plentiful. The differences are there as well though. Questgivers as well as your own character is fully voiced though the storyAs far as MMOs go, at least the launch went smoothly. The first thing you will realize with this game is that they have copied a lot of what works in terms of gameplay mechanics from others MMOs like World of Warcraft. There's no denying that the similarities are plentiful. The differences are there as well though. Questgivers as well as your own character is fully voiced though the story that is told when you do quests. Zones have a lot of instanced content, both for singleplayer and grouping. Graphics are good, but there are some bugs here and there. Questing does become repetetive, and by the time your reach the mid 30s in level you just want to reach the cap at 50 as quickly as possible because of this. But overall the game is solid and definitely worth a buy if you are a Star Wars fan.… Expand
  94. FrancoElTanque
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    A good game to hold my attention for a while. Not perfect by any means and that should be the only reason a game gets a 10. People throw those around too easily (Not to mention the 0 or 1 ratings if they don't like it). If you can't think of a single thing wrong with the game, you're kidding yourself.
  95. Aser
    Dec 21, 2011
    8
    This game is like any other MMO I have played. A lot of it is solo questing, you can group with a close friend from guild or RL. It has a lot of good qualities, and I feel it will get better with time as all MMO generally do. All the negative reviews are going to review that way for every game. It's what they do and will always do. I don't even bother to read them. If people hate this gameThis game is like any other MMO I have played. A lot of it is solo questing, you can group with a close friend from guild or RL. It has a lot of good qualities, and I feel it will get better with time as all MMO generally do. All the negative reviews are going to review that way for every game. It's what they do and will always do. I don't even bother to read them. If people hate this game that much then don't subscribe. I for one will be, and I suspect those that negatively review games, will still pay to play.… Expand
  96. Valorous
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    Given that reviewing TOR is a fuel for debate between diehard haters and vehement fanboys, I decided to chime in and give my review. But before I give it, I'll just say: for what it is, it's a 9. Here's why: The Old Republic's 6 year development has been fraught with rumors, accusations, defenses, and insults flung from all sides of the room, which included things like there being noGiven that reviewing TOR is a fuel for debate between diehard haters and vehement fanboys, I decided to chime in and give my review. But before I give it, I'll just say: for what it is, it's a 9. Here's why: The Old Republic's 6 year development has been fraught with rumors, accusations, defenses, and insults flung from all sides of the room, which included things like there being no endgame in this game back in 2010, to it being heavily phased like the original Guild Wars. In all honesty, The Old Republic is a solid, well polished, and incredibly fun entry into the MMO market. It's hardly revolutionary mechanically speaking, but the only reason people clamor for revolution is because seven years of World of Warcraft has made them bitter. That said, just because YOU played World of Warcraft for years and are now tired of hotkey MMO's doesn't mean the world is, else FPS's and RTS's would have been dead a decade ago. To begin with the PvE, The Old Republic's is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition both in presentation and in content. Class quests are filled with tremendous setpieces that set the tone for your character's growth and serves as magnificent eye candy for the story being told. World Arcs are just as cinematic, offering strong story from a third party point, and makes the game's planets fun and enjoyable to play through. The final tier of quests, the regular quests, are basic quests with some interesting diversions here and there. Whether it's calling in an air strike to decimate a reisstance base on Balmorra, or collecting tusks and animal hides (much to the chagrin of a disgusted Imperial Official) as a satire on World of Warcraft's primary quest model, the game's quests are all fun, enjoyable, and incredibly immersive since almost all of them are fully voiced (high quality, as well, not the dribble that is RIFT or WoW's voice acting). Flashpoints, The Old Republic's dungeons, are no less cinematic, and fall into two categories themselves: story flashpoints, and world flashpoints. Story flashpoints, such as Black Talon or White Nova, are heavily tied into the game's overall plot of an imminent war. They are tremendous eye candy, and a thrill to play, without much challenge so everyone can do them. World Flashpoints are general flashpoints that are tied to the plot, but much more loosely. There is no V/O in these, only certain potmarks in which you can choose to be evil or good for a certain action (such as decimating a Republic Fleet with missiles while on Cademimu, or diverting them to a lifeless moon instead). They're still well-crafted and good to look at, but are there more for the dungeon and loot purposes and less for the story. Finally, the Operations in The Old Republic are, for one, actual RAIDS (which has lost it's meaning right around the time I rode on a dragon's back), and currently involve raiding an ancient prison housing the galaxy's most powerful villains, and raiding a powerful Hutt's palace. They are hugely cinematic, frantic, and an absolute blast to play. With three difficulties to choose from, there is little to be afraid of. If you want the content, play it on Normal. If you want challenge, play it on Hard. If you want heavy coordination and extreme precision to be a part of your take down, set it on Nightmare Additionally, if you want OPEN WORLD PvE raiding, almost every planet has a challenging world boss to take down and conquer. The game is packed with group content.. If one even just skims through the (Currently) 249 red reviews, and see how many claim there's "little PvE", "no endgame", "it's just a single player game with a monthly fee" or "kill X and collect Y", they're what we call, for lack of a better word, mouthbreathers. Now, on the PvP end, the game has three forms of it: open world PvP, instanced PvP, and, taking a cue from Warhammer, objective-based open world PvP. Warzone PvP is frantic and a blast to play, but is a tad disappointing because you can't choose which map you want to play. However, given that group queueing was patched in remarkably quickly, Bioware's on top of this. Open world PvP is your typical gank-fest. What really shines is Ilum, the objective-based open world PvP planet, which is packed with frenetic PvP glory, as you blast down walkers with heavy rocket launchers, capture enemy fortifications, and try to stem the tide in this never-ending warzone. There is no "safety period" on Ilum, ala Wintergrasp. It's all war all the time, and it's a damn good one to be a part of. In the end, to say this game is a generic WoW clone with nothing new to offer is asanine. It is undisputedly the most polished, smoothest launch today, is brimming with content, and has more on the horizons. Given that 90% of the negative reviews are talking out of their ass, I trust you to use their judgment, but I'm here to say: TOR is fantastic… Expand
  97. jimmy1101
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    Very exciting MMO with the level of polish and storytelling you expect from Bioware. The voice acting is amaziiinngg. I've been playing a female trooper and Jennifer Hale is incredible as always. You've got every MMO feature you'd expect plus quests that you actually care for since it's not the average "read a few poorly written lines" and accept concept you get from other games. HighlyVery exciting MMO with the level of polish and storytelling you expect from Bioware. The voice acting is amaziiinngg. I've been playing a female trooper and Jennifer Hale is incredible as always. You've got every MMO feature you'd expect plus quests that you actually care for since it's not the average "read a few poorly written lines" and accept concept you get from other games. Highly recommended!… Expand
  98. thewwwyzzerdd
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    I love literally everything about this game. Combat and story are engaging, the crafting system is brilliant, the art direction is top notch. This game does not reinvent the wheel, but it makes some damn solid improvements on the formula.
  99. robbiengall
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Speaking of Bioware... I loved BG 1 and 2, I loved KOTOR, I loved both ME games, I liked DA:O very much, I was bored to death with DA2. And I'm in love again with TOR. Thank you Bioware :)
  100. brathor
    Jan 3, 2012
    8
    After hitting level 45 with my main character, I think I can say that this is the most fun I've had playing an MMO in six or seven years, and I've tried pretty much all the big ones. The class stories I've played have been both well-executed and engaging-- unlike every other MMO I've ever played, they make me feel invested in the journey my character is taking. As Bioware is and always hasAfter hitting level 45 with my main character, I think I can say that this is the most fun I've had playing an MMO in six or seven years, and I've tried pretty much all the big ones. The class stories I've played have been both well-executed and engaging-- unlike every other MMO I've ever played, they make me feel invested in the journey my character is taking. As Bioware is and always has been a company that uses its games to tell stories, it makes sense that this feature would be the number one distinguishing aspect of the game. On the downside, I am consistently underwhelmed by the options I have to customize my character both in terms of appearance and abilities. I was also disappointed to see how many genre conventions the game takes from World of Warcraft (which borrowed many of its conventions from Everquest). There do seem to be some balance issues with some of the classes, particularly in regards to PvP. I also have been frustrated by the frequency of frustrating bugs I've run into since hitting level 20. Overall, this is an excellent game that anyone who has enjoyed previous Bioware titles (especially Knights of the Old Republic) and the MMO genre should enjoy. There isn't much in the way of genre innovation here, but these aspects is brought together with Bioware style story that make shte game more engaging than any other MMO I've ever played (including WoW and SWG). This one's going to be around for a while.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PC Game of 2011
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. RPGamer
    Apr 23, 2012
    80
    LucasArts generally exercised greater quality control of Star Wars games than most licensed properties receive, though that didn't necessarily translate into titles that were actually good. I've played a few other Star Wars games in the past, and while the SNES platformers were pretty good, this one is even better. Knights of the Old Republic may just be the best game in the franchise, and succeeds at being a top-tier RPG even if one has no interest in Star Wars. BioWare did the license proud.
    Read full review
  2. GameCritics
    Mar 31, 2012
    70
    I wound up bailing out on Star Wars: The Old Republic well before hitting the level cap, but not before digging into it more so than any other MMO I've played. Even if it is an unhappy marriage between two wildly different game types, the fact that it kept me hooked for so long at least counts for something.
    Read full review
  3. NZGamer
    Mar 5, 2012
    83
    A good game. It pays excellent homage to the film series (even though it's set before the movies), and is a really solid MMO.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »